Safe Standing at the King Power Stadium

[SemperEadem]

2 hours ago, ozleicester said:

Seems logical that the club will choose option 2.... keep most of the sitters in the kop happy, cheap to do and easy upgrade to option 1 if proves successful.

Congrats to all who have campaigned and fought long and hard for this  

Yeah I like the idea of having the split but with the ability to push it on if needed.

[Snik-Snok]

Of those options, option 1 is without doubt the best, but only if it's done properly. If the plan is to just add a barrier in front of the seat, then the same people will be in the same seats, sitting down, and nothing will change.

 

The aim has to be to create an standing area.  I'm not sure what the regulations are, but ideally the seats should be locked in 'standing' mode (and only ever in 'seating' mode if/when the competition rules states it has to be all seater, like e..g if the stadium hosted an international game).

 

If it was made clear that the area is to be designated as a standing area, and people were given clear incentives to move, e.g. half price season ticket for 2 years if they relocate out the standing area, if could be a fairly easy process to do.

 

The standing area shouldn't be tucked away in the corner, should definitely be behind a goal. Worse thing would be for it to be in SK1 and wrapped around the corner, as the sound doesn't travel from there. From L1 I've never heard anything from SK1.  If L1 is quiet, all we can hear is away fans mocking us.  The only time anything from that end of the ground can be heard is the once or twice a year then kop sings 'You don't know what you're doing' to the ref. If the standing area is in that corner, the perception of us from other clubs won't change.

 

Personally I think the best plan would be to make the North Stand all standing. People in the family stand blocks have to relocate anyway when they are a certain age (over 16), so unlike in the kop, it's not their seat for life.  The family stand could be relocated to perhaps SK1. The blocks between the family stand and away end are basically overspill from the family stand who rea he'd the age limit, and are far more likely to want to stand anyway. The away fans can temporarily be shunted along by 1 block into L1 to give the whole end behind to goal (and one corner) to home fans, with the away fans being in their current corner, which can be converted to standing. L1 will on the short term be the seated away area, until the expansion is done, at which point they can be split into 2 levels and move into the end block of the upper tier, and L1 return to home fans.

[jammie82uk]

11 minutes ago, Lako42 said:

So no improvement to atmosphere 

Does standing improve Atmosphere? Has it improved at other grounds where standing has been implemented? 
 

 

[Lako42]

9 minutes ago, jammie82uk said:

Does standing improve Atmosphere? Has it improved at other grounds where standing has been implemented? 
 

 

It certainly doesn't if it's only implemented in an area where everybody already stands. 

[CUJimmy]

29 minutes ago, Lako42 said:

So no improvement to atmosphere 

Sadly that does not seem to be a priority

[Globalfox]

16 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

 

I should add that the club haven't responded to this or even acknowledged receipt of the document, which contains data, graphics etc. That will be a surprise to everyone I know! 

Can it be shared with all fans to understand the arguments and proposal bases. On the surface it seems L1 has not been considered and it would be interesting to understand that.

[RonnieTodger]

37 minutes ago, jammie82uk said:

Does standing improve Atmosphere? Has it improved at other grounds where standing has been implemented? 
 

 

I think it has at Southampton.

 

The Ipswich away end had a cheap version. Being able to lean on the barrier in front, you just feel more engaged. 

[davieG]

Bearing in mind the KOP is the cheapest section fans in the there wanting to sit will be very unhappy anyway and even more so if the only option is a vacated L/P section with the increased cost of tickets.

 

They'll need to do something financially to placate those fans

[The Hitman]

Pleasantly surprised to come on and see this thread… finally!!

 

No mention of how this will affect the L&K blocks. Does anyone know if this will mean stricter no standing enforcement in there?

 

I would assume it probably does mean the end of it, and tbh I think it’s about time all standers integrated together. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

 

36 minutes ago, The Hitman said:

Pleasantly surprised to come on and see this thread… finally!!

 

No mention of how this will affect the L&K blocks. Does anyone know if this will mean stricter no standing enforcement in there?

 

I would assume it probably does mean the end of it, and tbh I think it’s about time all standers integrated together. 

Would suspect that standing outside of the designated areas will be stamped right out to satisfy the requirements of the SGSA approval. 

Edited 15 November 2024 by Sol thewall Bamba

[Spudulike]

1 hour ago, The Hitman said:

Pleasantly surprised to come on and see this thread… finally!!

 

No mention of how this will affect the L&K blocks. Does anyone know if this will mean stricter no standing enforcement in there?

 

I would assume it probably does mean the end of it, and tbh I think it’s about time all standers integrated together. 

I don't think that standing is simply the motivation for some. It's more about being close up to away fans for the 'banter'. Not sure the L1'ers will want to be in the Kop even if they can stand.

[BrummieFOX]

1 minute ago, Spudulike said:

I don't think that standing is simply the motivation for some. It's more about being close up to away fans for the 'banter'. Not sure the L1'ers will want to be in the Kop even if they can stand.

Equally can't see them sitting in L1, will be interesting to see how that pans out. 

[Spudulike]

Just now, Spudulike said:

I don't think that standing is simply the motivation for some. It's more about being close up to away fans for the 'banter'. Not sure the L1'ers will want to be in the Kop even if they can stand.

Also to add, I'd like to see the 'Kop' renamed to something more original. For the more mature fan, the Kop was left behind at Filbert St and what we have now has never compared. Wasn't it named the Fosse Stand originally? That'll do.

[UniFox21]

2 hours ago, davieG said:

Bearing in mind the KOP is the cheapest section fans in the there wanting to sit will be very unhappy anyway and even more so if the only option is a vacated L/P section with the increased cost of tickets.

 

They'll need to do something financially to placate those fans

Definitely, even if it's offering them the seat at the same price for a year or so. Or even offering blocks the opportunity to move together

[purpleronnie]

Firstly the club hasn't actually said anythi

3 hours ago, Snik-Snok said:

Of those options, option 1 is without doubt the best, but only if it's done properly. If the plan is to just add a barrier in front of the seat, then the same people will be in the same seats, sitting down, and nothing will change.

 

The aim has to be to create an standing area.  I'm not sure what the regulations are, but ideally the seats should be locked in 'standing' mode (and only ever in 'seating' mode if/when the competition rules states it has to be all seater, like e..g if the stadium hosted an international game).

 

If it was made clear that the area is to be designated as a standing area, and people were given clear incentives to move, e.g. half price season ticket for 2 years if they relocate out the standing area, if could be a fairly easy process to do.

 

The standing area shouldn't be tucked away in the corner, should definitely be behind a goal. Worse thing would be for it to be in SK1 and wrapped around the corner, as the sound doesn't travel from there. From L1 I've never heard anything from SK1.  If L1 is quiet, all we can hear is away fans mocking us.  The only time anything from that end of the ground can be heard is the once or twice a year then kop sings 'You don't know what you're doing' to the ref. If the standing area is in that corner, the perception of us from other clubs won't change.

 

Personally I think the best plan would be to make the North Stand all standing. People in the family stand blocks have to relocate anyway when they are a certain age (over 16), so unlike in the kop, it's not their seat for life.  The family stand could be relocated to perhaps SK1. The blocks between the family stand and away end are basically overspill from the family stand who rea he'd the age limit, and are far more likely to want to stand anyway. The away fans can temporarily be shunted along by 1 block into L1 to give the whole end behind to goal (and one corner) to home fans, with the away fans being in their current corner, which can be converted to standing. L1 will on the short term be the seated away area, until the expansion is done, at which point they can be split into 2 levels and move into the end block of the upper tier, and L1 return to home fans.

Unfortunately despite that option being available most clubs seemingly opt for the barrier in front of existing seats.  Less work and money I guess.  

 

 

 

[Sir Steve Howard]

The club will 100% go with bare minimum cost and effort wise, so would expect option 3 (cheap barrier in front of existing seats)

[davieG]

54 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Also to add, I'd like to see the 'Kop' renamed to something more original. For the more mature fan, the Kop was left behind at Filbert St and what we have now has never compared. Wasn't it named the Fosse Stand originally? That'll do.

I think it was simply the South Stand and people were encouraged to move to the same stand they had at Filbert St.

[Spudulike]

24 minutes ago, davieG said:

I think it was simply the South Stand and people were encouraged to move to the same stand they had at Filbert St.

Good opportunity to rebrand it as the Vardy Stand. Would've said Vichai but a single stand in his name isn't enough.

[Snik-Snok]

Another point to make is that people are saying that the club won't want to upset anyone currently seated in the designated standing area, wherever is it, by encouraging/forcing them to relocate.

 

However, the expansion plans clearly show that most of the East Stand (excluding L and the block at the other end towards the kop end), from about a third of the way up, up to the top of the stand as it currently is, will become a new 'corporate' area.

 

People will face a choice of paying the premium rates that will go with that, or be forced to move, probably to the upper tier where there will be plenty of seats. I'm sure they'll be some double standards from the club when they use disruption to current Kop season ticket holders as a reason to not convert the whole stand to standing, whilst having no qualms about sticking a few hundred pounds on the cost of an East Stand season ticket holder if they want to retain their seat post-expansion.

 

Quick note on L and K blocks as they've been mentioned above. K will be within the corporate section once the expansion is done, and L will border it.  There's no way there will be any standing installed in either of those.

 

 

Edited 15 November 2024 by Snik-Snok

[Sol thewall Bamba]

25 minutes ago, Snik-Snok said:

Another point to make is that people are saying that the club won't want to upset anyone currently seated in the designated standing area, wherever is it, by encouraging/forcing them to relocate.

 

However, the expansion plans clearly show that most of the East Stand (excluding L and the clock at the other end towards the kop end), from about a third of the way up, up to the top of the stand as it currently is, will become a new 'corporate' area.

 

People will face a choice of paying the premium rates that will go with that, or be forced to move, probably to the upper tier where there will be plenty of seats. I'm sure they'll be some double standards from the club when they use disruption to current Kop season ticket holders as a reason to not convert the whole stand to standing, whilst having no qualms about sticking a few hundred pounds on the cost of an East Stand season ticket holder if they want to retain their seat post-expansion.

 

Quick note on L and K blocks as they've been mentioned above. K will be within the corporate section once the expansion is done, and L will border it.  There's no way there will be any standing installed in either of those.

 

 

All correct. The stadium will feel a lot different if the expansion is ever completed. Change isn't bad. We've had basically the same layout and the same feel in the ground for 20+ years.

[OadbyBlue]

2 hours ago, Spudulike said:

Also to add, I'd like to see the 'Kop' renamed to something more original. For the more mature fan, the Kop was left behind at Filbert St and what we have now has never compared. Wasn't it named the Fosse Stand originally? That'll do.

Vardy end once he retires. On second though maybe the away section would be more fitting for him.

[BrummieFOX]

2 hours ago, OadbyBlue said:

Vardy end once he retires. On second though maybe the away section would be more fitting for him.

I'd actually really rate naming just the away end after Vardy. As long as he has his deserved statue as well.

[FLAN]

Quite strange seeing all these positivity here (which I agree with) and at the same time being part of a messaging group where they are all moaning about the prospect.  sometimes things can be good even if they aren’t aimed at you  

[purpleronnie]

37 minutes ago, FLAN said:

Quite strange seeing all these positivity here (which I agree with) and at the same time being part of a messaging group where they are all moaning about the prospect.  sometimes things can be good even if they aren’t aimed at you  

What is it they don't like...choice?

[ShepshedFox1884]

It feels to me like the club will go option 2 or 3 which while better than nothing is still not great. Option 2 won’t create a real atmosphere as chants can’t get round the stadium with half of the stand trying to get involved and the other half clapping along to it. The SK1 G1 corner is better but still not great sound won’t reach away end meaning our home support will still seem shit even if it does improve. Should be whole stand or should have been swapped with family stand, idk why that wasn’t put forward as an option as it was the best out of all of them